Photo: Downtown Macon by Brandon Walker on Flickr. “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” — Jane Jacobs, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” Macon has so much that other communities don’t: beautiful architecture, wide boulevards, historic neighborhoods and buildings, […]
Article · January 26, 2016 by Beverly Blake
Today is the final session of the “The Doable City” forum in Chicago sponsored by Knight Foundation and organized by 8-80 Cities. I’ve been here since Monday with 24 of my great friends from the Knight communities of Columbus, Macon and Milledgeville, Ga. It’s been a rewarding two days so far—full of learning and meeting […]
Article · June 18, 2014 by Beverly Blake
Above: Tim and Leila Regan-Porter renovated a 130-year-old Queen Anne house on Bond Street in Macon, which had been converted into apartments, restoring it to a single-family residence. Photo credit: Walter Elliot. When one thinks about historic preservationists, often what comes to mind are mature folks who are passionate about old buildings—at the extreme, being seen as […]
Article · May 7, 2014 by Beverly Blake
Report to the community 2014, via YouTube How do you create a neighborhood renaissance? With determination, a great framework, committed investors—and most important—people who care about the place they call home and will put their own self-interests aside for the greater good. The people of College Hill—neighbors, Mercer University, the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, […]
Article · April 11, 2014 by Beverly Blake
Photo credit: Jessica Walden. On a spectacular second day of spring, over 500 of us who should have been at work—including me—sat outside in Mercer Village watching on a giant screen as the Mercer Bears defeated Duke in the NCAA tournament. What a team! What coaching! What dancing! While everyone else thought Mercer didn’t have a […]
Article · March 24, 2014 by Beverly Blake
Clinite’s mural is the result of a Knight Neighborhood Challenge grant acquired by The Facade Squad, a group which aims to beautify the College Hill Corridor. The College Hill Alliance just released its “Report to the Community,” which highlights the progress of the renaissance of the corridor connecting Mercer University with historic downtown Macon. It’s […]
Article · February 14, 2014 by Beverly Blake
Above: Macon, Ga. Photo credit: Flickr user Mark Stozier. Wednesday afternoon I was delighted to be a part of an announcement of a new initiative that the Knight and Peyton Anderson foundations are funding. The Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority will lead a master planning process for our city’s urban core. Like so many communities, Macon […]
Article · December 5, 2013 by Beverly Blake
Macon is known for our music history-but what people don’t know is that music is a part of the fabric of our lives here. From church choirs to the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University, to Broadway shows, to the Macon Music Ambassadors project, we’re all about our music. It’s in our DNA. The […]
Article · November 6, 2013 by Beverly Blake
In the Corridor via the College Hill Alliance on YouTube Some people don’t make the connection between placemaking and economic development. They seem to believe these are two different areas in our cities. Placemaking improves the built environment and provides programming, such as concerts, to build strong neighborhoods and communities. Economic development is often viewed […]
Article · October 10, 2013 by Beverly Blake
Knight Neighborhood Challenge – Intro Montage from Tabitha Lynne Walker – Big Hair on Vimeo. I thought I had experienced all of the creative ideas that Macon and College Hill have to offer, but when I began looking through the latest awards from the Knight Neighborhood Challenge I was pleased to be proven wrong. We began the challenge in 2009, and […]
Article · September 30, 2013 by Beverly Blake
Photo credit: The College Hill Alliance on Flickr This month has gotten off to a great start for Macon, Ga., and the people who believe in our shared future for this place we call home. The Telegraph recently reported on the ongoing success of the College Hill Corridor initiative and highlights the critical importance of […]
Article · July 15, 2013 by Beverly Blake